Rick Perry talks Satan and college tuition freeze

Updated 11:01 pm, Friday, September 21, 2012

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry talked about Satan, the state budget and his determination to freeze college tuition rates for four years during an appearance Friday evening.

He also stood by his decision to allow in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants, which damaged his presidential campaign when he questioned the heart of people who disagreed with the policy.

"Let me go on the record as saying, I believe in Satan," Perry said when Smith asked him about his recent comments that Satan is running across the world pushing untruths. Perry had said one untruth that's out there is that people of faith shouldn't be in the public arena.

"If you don't want to think there is forces of darkness and spirits and spiritual warfare, that's your call," Perry said.

When the questions segued to budget issues, Perry quipped, "Now we can really talk about Satan."

Perry said he wants to "transform higher education and make it more accessible, make it more affordable."

He cited his push for a $10,000 degree, and he said he wants students who enter college to have a frozen tuition rate for four years "so that the middle class knows that this is what it's going to cost."

"I think it makes sense for us in this state to tell an incoming freshman that here is what your tuition is going to be for a four-year period of time. If you enjoy a little bit too much of college life and you go for your fifth year, there are no guarantees after that," he said.

Perry has pushed the tuition-freeze idea previously, including in the last legislative session. He had earlier presided over a deregulation of tuition rates, and costs soared.

Perry also defended the state law he signed to allow in-state college tuition for the children of illegal immigrants, saying the young people found themselves in the state through no fault of their own.

"We have to deal with this," Perry said. "We don't have the pleasure of sitting on the sidelines saying, 'Kick everybody out.' … We have to deal with reality.''

And, Perry said, "We made a correct economic decision for this state."

As for his future, Perry continued to leave the door open for a run for re-election in 2014 or president in 2016. He declined an opportunity to endorse Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for re-election, saying, "That's an interesting idea."

Perry called Dewhurst - whom he had endorsed for U.S. Senate over now-GOP-nominee Ted Cruz - a strong, loyal partner who has been a great lieutenant governor, but said it's early to make an endorsement.